The invention relates to an assembly for a motor vehicle with at least one first and a second component and a method for fixing two components of a motor vehicle assembly together.
Fastening elements (for instance screws or rivets) are usually applied for connecting components of a motor vehicle assembly, which brace the two components against each other and thereby at least one of the two components reaches through a (passage) opening. Such a fastening element reaches therefore into a respective opening at both components in order to fix them in a relative position to each other. For instance, a first opening is formed on a first component as passage opening and a second opening is formed on a second component as passage or pocket hole opening. An opening on a component can result thereby also only by providing the fastening element as this is for instance the case with a self-cutting screw as fastening element.
In case of such a fixing of two components there is in practice regularly the problem that at least locally undesired tensions and deformations are introduced into at least one of the two components via a fastening element. In particular in case of thin-walled components, as provided regularly in the motor vehicle area for saving weight, unfavorable loadings can hereby occur.
DE 198 47 268 A1 suggests for solving this problem for instance that a connecting section with a (passage) opening at one of two components to be connected to each other is set back in respect to the other component and is designed to be deformable. The distance of this connecting section in respect to an unloaded status is reduced by attaching a fastening element. In this manner, a better distribution of the force required for tensioning the two components to each other onto the components is guaranteed with the connecting section having a distance to the other component in the unloaded/non-tensed status. A shift is thus allowed at a section provided therefore in a targeted manner in order to avoid an unbuttoning and/or an arching up of the components to be connected in the area of the opening, into which the fastening element engages. This solution was developed for connecting two metallic components.
The device described in DE 198 47 268 A1 with the set-back connecting section on one of the two components to be connected to each other would thereby also counteract in certain limits the tensions, which result thereby that—due to manufacturing tolerances—the openings on the two components, which have to match each other, do not exactly align to each other, if multiple similar fastening points with two respective openings are provided at the two components.
But DE 198 47 268 A1 leaves it open for instance how the two components will be aligned to each other in a predefined relative position before a fastening element tensions or fixes the two components together.